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Commission approves new county website contract after ADA/WCAG accessibility review
Summary
After debate, commissioners approved a $98,500 contract with Exemplify LLC to redesign Sedgwick County's website, citing stronger accessibility (WCAG) demos and information-architecture proposals; one commissioner voted no citing cost concerns.
The commission approved a contract to redesign the Sedgwick County website with Exemplify LLC for $98,500 after the bid-review panel concluded the vendor best met the county's scope and accessibility needs.
Tanya Cole, assistant county manager overseeing the procurement, told commissioners the chosen vendor provided a comprehensive proposal, met the full scope and delivered an impressive demo. Cole said communications staff and IT collaborated on evaluation criteria; communications emphasized design and usability while IT focused on information architecture and internal-use workflows. She added that an outside reviewer on the panel also supported the selection.
Strategic Communications staff explained the accessibility requirements that drove evaluation: screen-reader compatibility, adequate color contrast, and adherence to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). "We like to be in compliance with that [WCAG]," a communications staff member said, noting the county aims to meet current 2.2 guidance.
Commissioner Howe said the website is largely informational and questioned whether the cost was necessary; he voted against the item. The board approved items 1–8 together and then approved the website selection separately with a 4–1 vote.
